doing good work there, and I am happy to report that a better state of affairs exists in that section than did a short time ago.

Hoping, general, this report may reach you and prove satisfactory, I am, very respectfully,

B. F. LAZEAR,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding First Missouri State Militia Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF THE FRONTIER,
Fort Scott, Kans., July 25, 1863.

Lieutenant Colonel C. W. MARSH,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Saint Louis:

Scout just in from General Blunt's command, in advance of mail, which will be in to-night, reports the general's command to have fallen back into Fort Gibson. General Blunt still quite sick.

Respectfully, yours,

H. Z. CURTIS,

Major and Assistant Adjutant-General.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE NORTHWEST,
Milwaukee, Wis., July 25, 1863.

Brigadier General B. S. ROBERTS,

Davenport, Iowa:

GENERAL: I regretted much to receive your dispatch stating that you had seized arms, &c., the personal property of the citizens of Iowa. I don't desire you to have anything to do with such matters. I have carefully refrained from allowing such things to be done here, though I have been repeatedly urged to do them. I suppose I have been advised to seize arms a dozen times, but such action is neither my business nor yours. I confine myself strictly to my military duty. I hope you will do the same. All such business has been turned over to the provost-marshals or comes properly under civil jurisdiction. Surely the seizure of personal property on suspicion merely that it might hereafter be used in resisting the laws was out of place by a military commander in loyal States, and can only lead to ill-felling and disagreeable and unnecessary complications, which it has been my steady purpose to avoid. When the United States laws are resisted, and the civil authorities are unable or unwilling to enforce them, military aid will be furnished upon proper application, in the manner set out in instructions herewith sent you.* If there be sufficient ground for apprehension, that the United States laws will be resisted by force, such preparation as is necessary to enable you to comply with requisitions will be made in advance, but you are not to act, nor allow the military force under your command to act, in any way until the condition of things above specified obtains. These are simple rules, easily followed, and, in my judgment, are based upon correct views of the relation between civic and military authorities. Please act upon them in all cases.

The order for the movement of the Seventh Iowa Cavalry came from Washington; therefore I do not feel willing to countermand it. You can, however, assemble the Eighth Cavalry, or part of it, which, with the forces you have, will, I think, be sufficient. The draft has not been ordered in this department, and I shall be advised at least a week

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*Not found.

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